First Mariner Arena deal draws bids from SMG, Global Spectrum and AEG

Two outside companies are taking on the existing First Mariner Arena operator, SMG Corp., for the chance to run the 14,000-seat Baltimore venue.

SMG, Global Spectrum LP and AEG Facilities submitted bids to help find a naming rights deal and manage the advertising and operations at the arena. The bids were due to the city comptroller’s office Sept. 26.

The arena proposals contained two parts. The first part was a one-time price the operators would charge the city to find a new naming rights deal. The second was pricing sheets that would show estimated percentages of “net annual operating profit” for the arena over five years.

The city declined to disclose the proposed percentage of revenue the management companies are requesting.

AEG, operator of the Staples Center in Los Angeles and Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., told the city it would not charge anything to help broker a sponsorship deal.

SMG, the West Conshohocken, Pa.-based company that has managed the arena since 1990, submitted a price of $100,000. Philadelphia-based Global Spectrum, which manages Wells Fargo Arena and Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, proposed a price of $250,000.